Bear Lake in Idaho County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bear Lake sits in Idaho County, out in Idaho. Height above sea level is 7,418 feet. It covers about 19 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. For a base, Grangeville sits 32 miles out. Kamiah lies 48 miles off, McCall another 51 miles. Alternatives close at hand: Crescent Lake 0.7 miles, Ruby Lake after 0.9 miles, Square Lake 1.8 miles, Deer Lake after 2.6 miles and Half Acre Lake 2.7 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Idaho County cover rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout, bull trout and brook trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Bear Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 54°F; the cold one sits at 19°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Bear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Crescent Lake is 0.7 miles distant. Where Bear Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.